Pilot Co. & Bridgestone Partnership Reaches 300 Sites

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Pilot Co. and Bridgestone Americas have successfully brought their service network for commercial fleets to more than 300 Pilot and Flying J travel centers one year after launch, exceeding initial goals set by the partnership.

The combination of Pilot's extensive network and Bridgestone Fleet Care mobility solutions provide more convenient, frequent and accessible fleet tire intelligence to as many customers as possible, the companies said.

Pilot first announced the collaboration with Bridgestone in July 2022, as Convenience Store News previously reported. The companies' initial goal was to incorporate Bridgestone's advanced tire monitoring technology at 200 Pilot and Flying J locations.

Over the past year, commercial fleets leveraging the network have reported significant business efficiencies and savings as a result of its real-time, data-driven insights. Watsontown Trucking Co., owner and operator of a fleet of more than 475 tractors, 1,200 van trailers, 90 open-top vans, 75 flatbed trailers and five Volvo VNR electric trucks, stated it has achieved benefits such as:

• 867 annual labor hours saved on pre-trip and safety lane inspections;
• An emergency roadside incident rate reduction of 10 percent, eliminating nearly 1,300 annual breakdown hours; and
• Operational and maintenance savings totaling approximately $126,000.

"We are excited to see the ongoing success of this partnership with Pilot Company," said Josh Holland, vice president, dealer development and mobility solutions deployment (commercial), Bridgestone Americas. "Through our expanded Bridgestone Fleet Care service network at Pilot and Flying J travel centers, fleets across the United States are beginning to experience the benefits of a connected network of tire-monitoring services that are supported by our Bridgestone Commercial Dealer Network."

[Read more: Pilot Co. Completes 80-Plus Remodels Under New Horizons Initiative]

Each router installed in the fuel canopies of select Pilot and Flying J travel centers is linked to Bridgestone Fleet Care's tire monitoring service and transmits real-time tire data in two minutes or less from trucks and buses to fleet managers, according to Bridgestone. The Fleet Care technology combines durable hardware with a software application to allow fleet operators to proactively address specific tire issues and mitigate unplanned maintenance, which helps to reduce downtime and improve driver safety.

Fleets using this solution have access to critical data such as tire inflation pressure and temperature, which enables them to continually monitor the health of each tire throughout its lifecycle.

"In one year, we've surpassed our initial goal and are now able to offer this technology at over 300 of our travel centers, helping maximize coverage throughout the country to Fleet Care customers," said David Hughes, senior vice president of sales at Pilot. "Fleet Care allows for new fleet and business efficiencies and helps keep the roads and highways safe for both professional drivers and passenger vehicles."

The Pilot and Flying J travel center network — a majority owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway — includes more than 750 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces with more than 790 restaurants, 77,000 truck parking spaces, 5,500 deluxe showers, 6,300 diesel lanes and truck maintenance and tire service with Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J.